Kaizer Chiefs head coach Nasreddine Nabi has reflected on his side’s past matches with Mamelodi Sundowns saying he believes they have a chance to pull one over the Brazilians in the Nedbank Cup.
The two meet for the fourth time in all competitions this season in the Nedbank Cup semi-final at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Sunday with Sundowns holding a 3-0 lead so far.
Nabi arrived at Naturena at the beginning of the season with big hopes that he will revive Amakhosi. However, Chiefs have endured an inconsistent season and now only have the Nedbank Cup as the only silverware within reach for them.
The Tunisian mentor looked back at the sides’ history this season and factors that he believes led to the results saying that the levels between the sides are close.
“We played three times against them, except the Carling Cup game I explained before that it was a fitness problem,” said Nabi.
“We don’t get a lot of time for recovery we had just come from Polokwane. But if we try to analyse the two games, the first game it was in FNB we lost 2-1 and the second game in Pretoria, we lost 1-0. The level between the two teams it was near.
“So, I think the first game when we lost 2-1, even though they don’t want to accept, it was a referee problem.
“Maybe if there was VAR like how Sundowns got a chance to qualify [for CAF Champions League semi-final]. Maybe with VAR we get a chance to score and maybe it would have finished 2-2.
“The second game in Pretoria we get three opportunities they get two opportunities they were lucky they scored one of them, but we were unlucky we didn’t score.
“Now it’s game number four against them. Each team has a chance to win this game. We know their weak points and the strong points. They know us and let’s see after the game.”
Nabi is no stranger to reaching cup finals, and did so in Morocco with FAR Rabat last season, and also in Tanzania with Yanga before that.
